


What's In a Name?

by HansoldMySoul



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: And guess what??, Chapter 3 is up, Chapterrr 4 is out, Enjoy!, Flashbacks, Hyuckno, It got serious again in chapter 2, It's about feelings again, It's all Jaeno this time, Jaehyuck, Jaeno, Just some fun honestly, M/M, Markno, Multi, Okay so this started semi serious but degenerated into crack, Poly, Poly!soulmate au, Polyamory, Soulmate AU, markhyuck, markmin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-08
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-13 23:32:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7990276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HansoldMySoul/pseuds/HansoldMySoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Chapter 4 now added!]</p><p>Mark tries to be the voice of reason</p><p>Donghyuck likes getting a rise out of people</p><p>Jeno wants everyone to get along (but finds it all very amusing) </p><p>Jaemin gets defensive over everything </p><p>Chaos ensues.</p><p>[Poly!Mark/Donghyuck/Jeno/Jaemin, Soulmate!au]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was uncommon but not unheard of for people that have more than one soulmate tattoo. Mark would know, he'd spent the majority of his early teenage years researching the subject to ensure that he wasn't some sort of black sheep. 

Everyone had a soulmate out there somewhere and from an early age children were taught that their main purpose in life was to find the person who's name was inked into their skin so that they could attain their happily ever after.

Mark found his first tattoo when he was nine. In the beginning he hadn't recognised it for what it was for two reasons. One, the unfamiliar word was written in a language different from his mother tongue of English, the sketchy characters becoming nothing more than a pretty arrangement of lines in bold, navy ink. Secondly, it appeared on the back of his shoulder blade and he hadn't ever taken note of its existence until his parents had asked him a peculiar question one day. 

"Mark, who's Lee Donghyuck?" his mother had inquired, calling him closer so that she could inspect the unfamiliar writing for herself. 

When Mark was nine years old he started learning Korean because he learned that one day he would have to move to the country of his parents birth to meet his soulmate.

•

Meeting Lee Donghyuck for the first time was something that Mark would likely never forget.

At ten years old, he'd only been living in Seoul for two months when he bumped into his soulmate, quite literally. He'd been walking through the park close to his house, his mind preoccupied by thoughts of the new school he'd be starting at the following week and so not focused on side stepping the oncoming boy who'd been approaching at a pace faster than just a leisurely walk. Needless to say, neither were particularly happy about the ensuing collision but the stranger was a lot more vocal about it that Mark himself.

"Ever heard of looking where you're going?" The slightly shorter boy huffed, picking himself up off the ground and brushing gravel off his jeans before bending to retrieve the messenger bag that had previously been slung over his shoulder. Among noticing all those things, the only thing truly on Mark's mind was that his left shoulder blade was burning and holy hell, this was Lee Donghyuck! 

"Donghyuck...?" he ventured, watching as the boy straightened and his shirt lifted slightly to reveal small, concise letters in Mark's own hand that spelled out his name in both his mother tongue and Korean. The small yellow script was all Mark needed to be convinced.

The other boy's eyebrows furrowed, eyes narrowing as he scanned Mark once and then a second time before finally meeting his gaze.

"So you're Mark," He stated, lips turning up into a smirk, "You write like a girl." Mark did the most natural thing in that situation. He took his shoe off and threw it at the cocky boy. 

That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

•

When they were twelve and thirteen respectively Donghyuck broached the subject of multiple soulmate tattoos for the first time.

"We're soulmates right Mark?" He asked offhandedly, scribbling down the answer to an advanced equation that Mark had just finished explaining and closing the workbook before pushing it to one side completely. Having finished his homework almost half an hour before, Mark was stretched out on the bean bag sketching half-heartedly in the sketchbook that he always carried on his person and Donghyuck took a moment to admire the way his specs sat on the bridge of his nose and accentuated his high cheekbones. Small things things that Donghyuck found himself noticing more and more as time passed. 

Mark looked up, surprise colouring his expression at the unusual question. "Of course," he replied with slightly furrowed brows, waiting to see where the line of questioning would lead.

"What if we had another soulmate?" The younger boy asked finally after taking a few seconds to gather his somewhat scattered thoughts. Whatever he'd been expecting, Mark's reply was not it. 

"Ah," Mark's features smoothened out immediately, a small smile even threatening to tug at the edge of his lips, "I wondered when we were gonna talk about Jeno." While he was speaking he'd tugged up the edge of his sweater to reveal the flowing red script that read 'Lee Jeno' that he was sure would be reflected somewhere on Donghyuck's body. Mark had noticed the tattoo almost two weeks ago but had decided to see if Donghyuck brought up the subject because he needed to be sure that this soulmate applied to the both of them. After all, in the time since they'd met, Donghyuck had become his best friend as well as the person he was destined to spend the rest of his life with. 

Donghyuck's eyes narrowed, grabbing hold of Mark's wrist and inspecting the tattoo closely before pushing up the bottom of his pant leg to compare it to his own tattoo. Once he was satisfied that they were the same and that they most definitely had another soulmate, he dropped Mark's wrist once again and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the low table and resting his face on cupped hands. 

"I know him, I mean- I think I do at least. There's got to be more than one kid out there called Lee Jeno but I'm pretty sure he's the one." Donghyuck explained, pausing momentarily to blow stray hair out of his eyes and make a mental note to get a haircut. Mark waited, knowing that goading Donghyuck into revealing more information would make the younger boy purposely drag the process out as long as possible.

"He went to the same elementary school as me but I think he's homechooled now because I haven't seen him around in a while. He was a pretty poorly kid and used to miss a lot of school but I occasionally see him playing soccer up at the green so I assume he's better now." 

Donghyuck idly wrote the three of their names in combination as he spoke, trying to recall everything of the small information he knew about the boy. 

"So he lives close by?" Mark asked, standing from his spot on the beanbag and depositing his sketch book on the desk before perching on the edge of the low table and lifting Donghyuck's workbook to scan through the completed problems. "Not too far from here but our best bet is going to the soccer game on Sunday because it'll be easier to talk to him." Donghyuck explained, watching as Mark approved the completed work before placing th book down again. 

"We'll do that then," Mark agreed.

•

It wasn't hard to spot Lee Jeno from the edge of the field seeing as he often had possession of the ball and the spectators (especially the female ones) cheered the loudest when he was doing well. A knowing look traded between them told Mark and Donghyuck that this was definitely the person they were looking for and they decided to stay and watch the game.

"Looks like we're gonna have some competition," Mark muttered when the girls cheered rambunctiously as Jeno scored for his team once again. Donghyuck was grinning, enjoying the sport far more than his companion and Mark's comment only turned that grin into a smirk. "There won't be any competition, soulmate trumps fangirls any day." 

Surprisingly, as the game came to an end, it was Jeno that approached them before they had a chance to work out a plan of attack. The taller boy strode up to them with confident steps and stops right in front of the two, smiling so widely that his eyes curved into tiny crescent moons. "I wondered when you two would show up," he announced, sticking out his hand in greeting. "I'm Lee Jeno, I've met Donghyuck but I don't believe I've had the pleasure meeting you yet Mark." 

Every ounce of nervousness that they'd felt prior to the meeting evaporated in light of the actual company, easily falling into step with one another as they made their way towards the middle of the field where the rest of the players had dispersed into smaller groups.

Talking to Jeno came as easily as the silly conversations he and Donghyuck had on the phone as 2am, trying not to be caught by their parents who would surely punish them for still being awake. However, Mark found it increasingly hard to focus on what the others were saying as he met the gaze of another boy not too far behind Jeno. Narrowed eyes were watching him with something akin to frustration and hints of malice hidden behind hard eyes. 

The other boy was probably around their age as well, with messy black hair and a soccer jersey draped over his lanky form that made him look a little smaller than he probably was. Mark didn't know what he'd done to upset the other boy but there was clear dislike rolling off him in waves and his shoulders were tense as if he was physically stopping himself from approaching the small gathering. 

Jeno stopped talking when he realized that Mark's gaze led behind his shoulder instead of meeting his own which was the norm. Turning, he wasn't surprised to see Jaemin standing several feet away with a less than friendly look on his face. Really, he hadn't expected the most cordial of greeting when the time came for them to all meet. 

There was a few things that Jeno had forgotten to mention to his new soulmate upon their first meeting. First and foremost was the fact that Jeno already had a soulmate, one that didn't seem to be shared between the three of them. 

He'd known Jaemin since elementary school and they'd discovered their soulmate tattoos when they were just six so it would have been an understatement to say that Jaemin had been displeased when Jeno had brought up the discovery of his second and third soulmate tattoos the week prior.

It had quickly become clear that Jaemin didn't like the idea of sharing and honestly, Jeno was already getting fed up with his childish behaviour.

Now, he did nothing but raise his eyebrows at the slightly younger boy and wait to see what he'd do next. Jaemin muttered something that sounded extremely rude under his breath before spinning on his heel and stomping away, pausing only once to throw a sneer over his shoulder which was presumably directed at all three of them. 

"That was um-- intense," Mark commented off handedly, still not completely sure what had just transpired or what any of them had done to earn the boys ire.

Jeno sighed, leaning back against tree, "That was Jaemin, I'm afraid you're probably going to have to gett used to that." He explained, running a hand through his hair as he tried to think of the fastest and easiest way to explain what exactly was happening. 

"Jaemin is my soulmate." He said, spitting the words out quickly and ducking his head when he saw identical looks of confusion on the two boys faces. For now, he could only hope that they didn't take as badly to the situation as Jaemin did because the last thing Jeno wanted was to be stuck in the middle of some cold war because a group of teenage boys didn't understand the meaning of courtesy.

"Another one?" Donghyuck asked, glancing towards the retreating figure with a clear look of dislike on his face. Jeno had a bad feeling that no matter how much time passed, those two would never really get along.

"Yes and he's not very pleased about the whole situation but I'm hoping he'll come around if we give him some time. I'm not going to humour his belligerent behavior but Jaemin is my best friend and I've come to the realisation that sometimes, you have to put the things that are important to you first." Jeno explained, his eyes sparkling with a fondness that reflected the truth of his words even if he was exasperated at that moment.

"We'll give him some time then," Mark, ever the voice of reason spoke for all three of them. 

Donghyuck still didn't look pleased but Jeno nodded his head I'm agreement.

•

Jaemin didn't like Lee Donghyuck. He could deal with Mark because the older boy tended to give him space and only spoke to him when he was trying to include him in a group discussion. Donghyuck on the other hand did his best to antagonize and beguile him to point that often ended up in both verbal and physical confrontations. The only reason Jaemin tolerated his presence at all was because Jeno would often look saddened by their inability to get along and he never wanted to be the cause of sadness in the person that he considered as his other half. 

He'd spent six months trying to get over the idea of sharing Jeno with his new soulmates but no matter how hard he tried, Lee Donghyuck was always there to make it a thousand times worse by hanging all over Jeno or purposefully making eye contact with Jaemin just to smirk at him and give him satisfied looks.

It was evening now but he often had to wait till late to spend time with Jeno because Mark and Donghyuck were often at his house in the afternoons to make up for the fact that they didn't attend middle school together. Silently, Jaemin longed to return to the time when he was the most important thing in Jeno's life but he'd never speak those thoughts aloud because removing those two would be like forcefully removing a bit of Jeno's smile. If there was one thing he wanted even more than Jeno's undivided attention, it was for the older boy to be as happy as he could be. 

"You frown a lot more now," Jeno muttered from behind his book, breaking the comfortable silence they'd fallen into as soon as they were alone, "Is it really so bad?" And there it was, the sadness that crept at the edge of his tone, making Jaemin want to do anything in his power to get rid of it. Crawling from his spot on the floor, he joined Jeno on the bed and linked their hands in a move that wasn't unfamiliar to either of them. 

"It's not," Jaemin admitted quietly, unwilling to lie just to justify his actions. He wasn't an angel but he wasn't about to lie to Jeno and he hoped the other would pay him the same respect.

"Everything is different now. I know you don't care about me any less but I hate having to share you with people who couldn't care less about me." It was the first time he'd every admitted those feelings of inferiority in words and he was immediately afraid that Jeno would somehow think less of him for it. 

"Jae..." Jeno's hand tightened around his, tugging lightly on it to make the slightly younger boy meet his eyes. "You're right, I don't care any less and you'll always be the most important thing in my world no matter what... It's just that my world got a little bigger. My heart is big enough for all of you." Maybe it was the soft, guiding tone that brought tears to his eyes or maybe it was the reassurance that he'd so desperately needed but been able to bring himself to ask for.

"I'll try," Jaemin whispered honestly, "But at the end of the day... I've only got you but they've got each other as well so who's the loser if you get taken away?"

Jeno's heart broke a little at that moment but he was quick to whisper words of reassurance in response.

"I'm not going anywhere Jae, no-one's going to lose."

From that moment, he wondered if things were going to change. 

•

Jaemin was fifteen when he got his second soulmate tattoo and he was about as displeased with it as he was addicted to cherry flavour lollipops.

He burst through the door of Mark's shed which had become their hangout spot somewhere along the way, slamming it roughly against the back door and searching for his target before locking eyes with Donghyuck and stalking towards him with slow, calculated steps.

"What the fuck is this Lee Donghyuck?!" He seethed, tugging at the edge of the blue turtleneck he'd worn in the middle of summer to reveal the latter's name in navy blue, blocky letters tattooed across the left side of his neck. Mark was the first to react to the dramatic situation, snorting before bursting into full-bellied laughter after seeing the placement of the tattoo. 

Donghyuck only sneered in response, not seeming at all intimidated by the overdramatic display. "Think yourself lucky Na Jaemin, I've got your name tattooed across the center of my chest in fucking baby pink. You realise that I can never take my shirt off again with looking like some sort of pansy?" 

Jeno and Mark watched, waiting to see how the situation would play out. If hanging around each other for three years had taught them anything, it was that it was best to leave Donghyuck and Jaemin to sort through their own arguments because stepping in to try and stop them literally wouldn't work anyway.

"Mark's name appeared in nice, small letters on my elbow but yours? Oh no, you've got to be infuriating even when you aren't around!" Jaemin raged, stomping his foot and not caring that he was acting less than half his age because as much as he hated Lee Donghyuck's right then, a small part of him felt satisfied and complete now that all four of them were connected properly.

It was then that Donghyuck did something completely unexpected. He raised an eyebrow before stepping forward and wrapping his arms around Jaemin in the most awkward hug he'd ever received in his life. "It's great that you finally joined us Jae, doesn't everything feel right now?"

"I still hate you," he muttered in response but his true answer came in the fact that he didn't try to push away from the hug, even going as far as to wrap one arm around Donghyuck in response.

"Love you too Jae!" Donghyuck grinned, finally pulling away when Mark and Jeno started cooing in the background.

"Awwww young love is so nice." Mark cooed, quickly scooting to the side when a plastic cup came flying at his head courtesy of Donghyuck.

"Such a cute couple," Jeno added, throwing a wink in Jaemin's direction and ignoring the rude gesture he got in response.

Oh yes, the local highschool was going to have it's hands full when Jeno, Jaemin and Donghyuck joined Mark there the following year because as a unit, the four of them worked together scarily well, even if some if them (read: Donghyuck and Jaemin) turned on each other on occasion. 

A new era was about to begin and they were embracing it with open arms because at the end of the day, someone had to show everyone else how it's done and they might just be volunteering.


	2. A Matter of Opinion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobody told them growing up and falling in love would be this hard. 
> 
> Jaemin and Donghyuck struggle to come to terms with newly emerging feelings for one another whilst Jeno becomes increasingly unsure over his attraction to Mark that doesn't fit with his understanding of how soulmates work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of "What's in a Name?" which, to be honest, is just full of teenage angst and boys who can't quite grasp the concept of feelings.
> 
> Enjoy!

Without a doubt, Mark knew that his second year of high school was going to be nothing like his first. For the most part nothing would change dramatically, in fact, the only major difference would be that Mark wasn't going to be alone this year and if there was one thing he'd he'd learnt about his trio of soulmates over the four years since they'd become a complete group, it was that they found it impossible to inhabit a single space without causing some sort of irreparable damage or situation. he could almost count on Jeno to try and help him keep the peace but the usually calm boy seemed to find Jaemin and Donghyuck's antics partcularly amusing and though he didn't usually join in, he didn't often try to stop them either.

If the inclusion of Jaemin to their completed soulmate bond had caused any major dynamic shift in their interactions, Mark was going to have to get a microscope to be able to see it because Jaemin still clung to Jeno like some strange sort of Koala-Poisnous snake hybrid with a posessive streak and Donghyuck still spent the majority of his time planning up new way to ultimately get on the youngests nerves with the least possible effort.

It had almost been a relief that things had stayed the way they were because Mark was fairly sure he'd pass out from shock if he saw the two of them suddenly getting along or worse, being affectionate withe each other. And maybe there was a tiny part of Mark that wanted to keep Donghyuck for himself although he'd never say that aloud because although everything had fnally worked itself out, the peace and group dynamic was still fragile and he was afraid that it would shatter if someone so much as stepped the wrong way.

Little did he know that there was already unrest stirring within the group, small doubts and worries that became harder and harder to quell with self-spoken words of encouragement and arrogant facades. They were soulmates but they certainly didn't tell each other everything but not for an ill feeling if they did but rather a niggling fear that badly timed revelations would tip their comfortable little world out of it's peaceful balance.

•

For Donghyuck, the first day of school would previouly have been an opportunity to pull the carpet out from underneath Jaemin's feet just to see his reaction, a time to stake his claim over his favourite Hyung so that everyone who'd met Mark Lee in the last year knew who he belonged to and a time to fend off the girls that would inevitably crowd Jeno like they always did with little care for his personality and only drawn by his handsome face. instead, he found himself watching the the youngest member of their quartet in thoughtful silence because although they'd all met up to walk to school that morning, Jaemin hadn't tried to make one snide remark or monopolise Jeno's attention. In fact, he'd barely payed any attention to the other three at all, looking retrospective and being uncharacteristically quiet. Donghyuck didn't think he was feeling worried per se, he was just feeling the aftershocks that rippled through their bond when one of them wasn't quite right.

He definitely wasn't noticing the way the new uniform accentuated Jaemin's thin shoulders or the way the black blazer complemeted his skin tone well. No, he definitely wasn't thinking those things because he didn't think of Na Jaemin that way, they may have been soulmates but those sort of bonds could lead to a maligamy of things and his relationship with Jaemin was that of a rival and a friend at best.

That still didn't stop him from shuffling uncomfortably in his seat when Jaemin let out yet another sigh and he seemed to draw in on himself just a little more from the desk in front of Donghyuck's own.

Okay so maybe he was worried. That was normal to feel about a soulmate right?

•

Jaemin felt off. There was no other adequate way to describe the way he was feeling and he idly wondered if he wasn't coming down with something because not only had his eyes skipped right over Jeno when he'd met up with the others that morning but his eyes had been drawn straight to Donghyuck, so proud looking as always, even in the face of the completely foreign experience that was starting a new school year at a completely new school. It was then, feeling a mix of admiration and something else that he couldn't explain that he'd caught the unsual train of thought and immediatly panicked. Donghyuck wasn't attractive to him, he did't watch the older with longing eyes and he most certainly didn't admire the cocky gait that he'd usually find so annoying.

The revelation made it difficult to focus properly on anything that wasn't his own confusing thoughts. Jaemin understood, to a certain extent what love was, he'd felt it for Jeno way before he'd known there was a name for it but was hesitant to use that lable for anything else. He certainly didn't love Lee Donghyuck, that wasn't possible but it repeated in his mind like a mantra that he couldn't forget.

He had to be getting sick, coming down with something. That was a much more realistic explanation for the way his cheeks had warmed when Donghyuck looked at him with something akin to concern in his eyes for a fleeting moment because turning his head the other way and continuing his conersation with Mark.

Sometimes Jaemin hated the idea of growing up and all the complexities that came with it.

•

Jeno was confused. No, the schoolwork didn't cause him any problems, academics coming to him with relative ease but there was an uneasiness in the air that impossible to shake because it felt like and actual part of his person. Something wasn't right with the four of them, their usual easy banter slippng away to be replaced with shy looks and downcast eyes.

Simply put, he missed Jaemin and Donghyuck fighting. He didn't miss the very real malice that sometime came from their disagreements but the easy air that it usually created was absent without it and he didn't know what to do because he'd never had to deal with a situation liked this one before. Despite having far from the best relationship, Donghyuck and Jaemin were the mood makers of their tight-knit circle and with Mark absent due to being in a different school year, Jeno felt awkward and stuck and helpless to the situation.

Jeno thought that maybe he missed having Jaemin's undivided attention but the real emptiness came when when Mark turned his back to laugh at a joke Donghyuck had told, not a whole as such but tugging feeling that wouldn't let him forget the sight of the elders back turned to him.

Jeno didn't love Mark Lee, except maybe he was starting too and thererin lay the exact problem because he wasn't supposed to love Mark as more than a brother. 

Being homeschooled, Jeno had a lot of time to read up on the phenomenon of multiple soulmates and all his sources said exactly the same thing. Although one could have multiple soulmates, only one of them would form a reciprocated romantic bond where as the others would become best friends of sorts. When he was fourteen, Jeno had realised that he loved Na Jaemin in more than a platonic way so why was he now starting to feel the same way about Mark? Never in his life had he come across a problem that he couldn't solve via research and experimentation so the feeling of being stuck was foreign and frightening.

It felt inherently wrong and so he said nothing, continuing to smile and laugh at his friends jokes and pay just that little bit of extra attention to Jaemin who still occassionally looked at him like he was going to disappear one day and leave him alone.

He didn't notice the worried glances that his oldest soulmate threw his way whenever he wasn't looking because he was too busy convincing himself that those feelings were just a phase that would pass with time if he ignored them and went on with his daily life as if they never existed.

•

Lunch came all too quickly for most of them, the tension in their bond was almost tangible and thoughts of the meeting brought on feelings of dread and anxiety that were foreign to the usually personable group. Mark in particular faced the grouping with confusion, having not seen the other three since that morning and being left to wonder where all the negative feelings had come from in his absence. It wasn't like the usual antagonism that Donghyuck and Jaemin fighting usually created and the anxiety rubbed off on Mark despite the feelings not being his own.

They arrived at th table one by one, Mark having reserved it instead of going to sit with the seniors he'd sat with the year before but the tension didn't disperse... if anything it became worse until it was unbearably stifling when they'd all arrived.

"So um... How was your first day so far?" Mark inquired, leaning forward on his elbows and trying his hardest to lighten the tense atmosphere that loomed over them like a dark cloud. If he'd hoped that the response would be positive, he got something he really hadn't been expecting.

"Awful," Jeno mumbled around a mouthful of sandwitch which he'd taken to eating as fast as he could to try and avoid having to speak. Jeno rarely complained about anything but Mark remembered that he'd been homeschooled since half way through elemtary school and he was having to reajust to the whole idea of attending school and although he wasn't a particularly antisocial person, he still wasn't used to having to spend large amouts of time in spaces that were absolutely filled to capactiy.

"This sucks," Donghyuck bit out, casting an obvious glance at Jaemin who didn't so much as look up from the table to notice his gaze. "I mean, school is boring as ever but what's with everyone? It's like we're attending a funeral instead of the first day of school. Especially Jaemin, he's done nothing but sulk and keep to himself all day, way to make the rest of us feel bad!" Fueled by frustration, the words came out harsher than he'd intended and Mark and Jeno both stared at him with mixed looks of horror and surprise. Something akin to guilt coursed through him but he still stood his ground, scowling at the youngest boy and waiting for some sign of acknoweledgement that he'd at least heard what had been said.

Jaemin's response was unexpected. Sure their maknae was a trouble maker and often poked fun at the others in a light hearted manner, he and Donghyuck had never fought severely enough for the high strung emotions to ring clearly through the bond. Without saying a word, Jaemin lifted his head and keeping his features deliberately blank, he stood from the table and proceeded to walk away, never once looking back until he was out of sight through the doors of the cafeteria.

For a moment, they all sat in silence trying to process what had just happened and save for brief glances of questioning to one another, nobody spoke. Jeno was the one to break the silence. "I should go to him, he's lost and confused and he already feels bad about making Donghyuck angry. He feels like it's all his fault that everone's in a bad mood." He began to stand up but was stopped by Mark's hand on his arm, gently guiding him back to his seat.

"No I'll go, he's been a part of the bond for the least time and he needs to know that he can come to any of us when something is wrong, not just you. Hyung will bring Nana back." The last part was said with such affection that Jeno couldn't help but nod his head in agreement, allowing the oldest of them to take off after Jaemin while he and Donghyuck sat in silence. He wasn't aware that he was blushing until Donghyuck commented about it off-handedly, leaning back in his chair and allowing a ghost of a smirk to take over his features.

"You like Mark.. As more than a friend right?" There was no jealousy or unhappiness in his tone, just knowing and soft agreement. "He's a good hyung, the best in my opinion and it's not uncommon to fall for your soulmate." Jeno expected Donghyuck to be angry with him, possessive even that the one he considered as his own was coveted by someone that he considered the epitome of best friend.

"It's wrong... I love Nana and it's selfish to covet the love of more than one person. Mark is my soulmate but I'm only supposed to love him in the capacity of a friend." Jeno's voice shook as he tried his best to explain the feelings that created a tangled web of unease in the pit of his stomach.

"Who's gets to decide that it's wrong? Nobody is you Jeno and nobody has been through your exact situation so why should they be the ones to decide the rules?" Donghyuck's voice was soft, gaze imploring Jeno to believe every word but he would have regardless because although Donghyuck didn't speak sincerely often, when he did he was always right. 

"It doesn't matter anyway because Mark already has someone he loves and it isn't me." Jeno mumbled in reply, eyes downcast as though he wanms speaking to the table.

"And just like others can't tell you how to live your life, I think you need to let Mark Hyung make that decision for himself because he might surprise you." The knowing smile on Donghyuck's face didn't really mask the ever present worry that hadn't left his eyes since Jaemin had left the room. 

Jeno reached across the table and layed his hand over Donghyuck's, "For someone so versed in the ways of romance, you're sure taking a long time to admit how much you love Nana." and the wide shocked eyes gave Jeno the answer he hadn't been completely sure of until that point. 

Though it hadn't happened yet, Jeno was sure that one day he'd love Donghyuck as well because when he looked into those eyes, he saw an irreplaceable part of his future that he couldn't wait to explore. 

There worlds were all expanding and Jeno began to think that maybe he was okay with that because he hadn't been lying when he'd told Jaemin that his heart was big enough for all of them. 

•

It didn't take Mark long to catch up to Jaemin, after all, it was the younger boys first day and there weren't many places he could actually go due to his limited knowledge of the grounds.

He'd only made it as far as the courtyard where he'd proceeded to sit, slumped against a tree with his knees pulled up to his chest and his knees resting on them. If the waves of unrest that pulsed through the bond were unpleasant then seeing evidence of it in front of his eyes was physically painful. 

Jaemin gave no sign of acknowledgement when Mark sat down beside him save for a subtle tensing of his shoulders as he tried to still their shaking. "Nana..." Mark beckoned, hoping the non-confrontational tone would be enough to lore the youngest into looking him. It had no effect and Mark slowly and gently worked his fingers under Jaemin's chin, exerting the least force possible to make the younger look at him.

"Nana, look at me." He continued, waiting for Jaemin to meet his gaze and trying not to visibly flinch when he saw tears swimming in his eyes and leaving shiny, wet tracks down his cheeks. Jaemin hiccuped quietly and tried desperately to blink away the embarrassing tears. 

"Tell Hyung why you're upset. Was it because of what Donghyuck said? Because you know he didn't mean it." Jaemin was already shaking his head before Mark had even finished speaking, denying the statement.

"I--just... Everything made so much sense before but now I'm so, so, so confused." Came his murmured reply, the tears started anew despite his efforts to stop them. Before Mark could ask him to elaborate, Jaemin held up a hand in a silent request for more time to explain.

"Jeno is my soulmate, I've loved him for as long as I've had an understanding of the emotion, maybe even longer. I've never hated Donghyuck... Despised his purposeful attempts to antagonize me, yes but never hated and now something has suddenly changed." He stopped to catch his breath but Jaemin didn't need to say any more for Mark to fully grasp the situation. Everything was suddenly so stunningly clear that he wondered how he hadn't already figured it out. 

"Nana, do you love Donghyuck?" He phrased it as a question but not because he was unsure of the answer, only in an attempt to stop Jaemin from freaking out and running away again. 

His answer came in the form of averted eyes and his lower lip pulled roughly between his teeth. "I don't know..." Jaemin whispered, "I was always so selfishly denying Jeno the love of his other soulmated so I don't know if I'm allowed to love Donghyuck." He finished quietly. 

"I think you need to talk to Hyuck about this but don't you dare think yourself undeserving of whatever love finds its way to you Na Jaemin because life's too short to deny yourself every pleasure that comes your way." Mark's tone was firm but not unkind and Jaemin found himself nodding because Mark had this way of making you agree to things with compelling words and compassionate looks. 

"Thanks Hyung," Jaemin whispered, crawling into Mark's arms and resting his head on his shoulder. In that moment, Jaemin decided that he was going to allow himself to be selfish because being in Mark's arms caused the smallest spark of something to blossom in the pit of his stomach and he hoped that it would one day be love. 

"Don't ever thank me for being by your side Nana," Mark murmured back, lulled in serenity by the peaceful hum that now resonated across their soulmate bond, telling him that everything was going to be okay.

•

They knew things were truly back to normal when Jaemin threw his notebook at Donghyuck's head on the way home and the two had begun to argue loudly and unnecessarily about the pros and cons of dancing versus singing as a hobby and career.

There were many paths open to them in the future but there was no rush to find out what was in store, Mark thought idly as he slipped his hand into Jeno's as they walked behind their bickering soulmates and basked in the bright smile he received in return.

Their future was in their hands and he thought they were plenty capable of molding it into something special but now was the time for learning and growing up and they weren't going to rush.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, what did you guys think? Do you wanna see a continuation of this? The next part I have planned is a graduation party in which things get a little out of hand. It'll be much more fun and crackish than this chapter if I do write it!
> 
> As always, Comments and Kudos are always greatly appreciated!!~~
> 
> Find me on Twitter! @HansoldMS_Twt


	3. L.O.ㅅ.E

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's difficult to deal with change when you're just settling into a routine and they're all taking Mark's inevitable graduation a little differently.

Mark had his first kiss when he was 18 years old. There was absolutely nothing poetically magical about it unless awkwardly bumping his nose against Donghyuck's and not being sure whether he should keep his eyes open or shut them like most people did in movies counted as some covoluted version of 'seeing fireworks and feeling like your life was suddenly complete'.

Actually, there hadn't even been anything intentional about the kiss but it had felt right and he couldn't exactly complain.

•

His day had been long and boring, the stress of exams that accompanied his third year of high school getting to him more and more as the days ticked closer to finals and his patience for dealing with the trivial matters of others beginning to wear thin. He could still recall the hurt look on Jeno's face when he'd told the younger boy to bother someone else when he'd droppped by to ask for advice and help with some of his advanced level coursework. He hadn't meant to be blunt or unapproachable but he'd just got off the phone with his mother who was once again bothering him to make a choice about which university he was going to attend in the fall. The quiet boy had looked taken-aback and had backtracked out of the door while muttering something about going over to Jaemin's and "bothering" his brother Hansol instead.

He hadn't picked up Mark's calls since then and they hadn't seen each other at school the next day either, neither him nor Donghyuck turning up for their usual lunch meeting although the latters ansence was explained by a meeting of the drama commitee. He'd sat in silence with Jaemin, the youngest casting him sour looks every now and again out of the corner of his eye whenever he thought Mark wasn't looking. It made him wonder how much Jeno had told the him when they'd met up the previous evening but he decided not to question it because Jaemin would always ultimately take Jeno's side in the case of conflict, the two of them were just a tad bit closer like himself and Donghyuck.

It'd been almost a year since they'd all admitted having some feelings for each other and although there were minute changes in their dynamic and interactions, Jeno and Jaemin still stuck to each other like glue where as Donghyuck's hand would always seek out his when they were walking side by side. It was easy and it worked for them but sometimes the lack of communication that generally came with being teenage boys could get a little bit frustrating. None of them freely spoke about what they were feeling without having to be prompted and ocassionally it would become obvious that one or more of them was feeling uncomfortable with particular situations.

That day, like every other thursday, he'd gone to meet Donghyuck at the auditorium after the conclusion of his final class because he knew the younger boy would be waiting for him before he even thought about leaving. The lights were low but that was nothing unusual seeing as the black interior of the spacious room allowed for little light as it was, and Donghyuck was perched on the edge of the raised platform that acted as stage, one leg pulled up to his chest and the other hanging freely over the edge as he read over what was probably his assigned lines for whatever project they were currently working on. His sleeves were rolled up, hair damp with perspiration and was it just Mark-- or was it really hot in here?

"Hyung," Donghyuck greeted, eyes flickering up from the paper in his hands for just a second before his attention was once again focused elsewhere. "Come over here, I wanna try something." He continued, gesturing languidly with his free hand for Mark to approach the stage. 

"More practice?" Mark asked, trying to avoid tripping over any miscellaneous items that may have been left laying on the floor in the dark theater because the last thing he wanted right on top of finals was a broken nose. In the past year, Donghyuck had become a very active and dedicated member of the drama club, having already taken part in two productions and managing to snag a leading roll in the upcoming end of year department showcase.

When he was close enough, Donghyuck grabbed hold of Mark's hand and dragged him forward with his usual characteristic impatience, lips curling up slightly when he stumbled but managed to catch himself on the edge of the stage. "Just stand still, there's a part I'm not too sure about but I need a partner to practice on." Donghyuck muttered, leaning forward and placing his hands on Mark's shoulders to balance himself before drawing closer. Mark, for all that he wanted to instinctively take a step back, held his ground and forced himself to make eye contact with the younger boy.

Warm lips pressed against his own hadn't been the last thing he was expecting per se but it did shock him enough to freeze, rigidl and unmoving as he contemplated how to return to action. For the lack of response, Donghyuck didn't appear to be at all discouraged, winding his arms around Mark's neck before disconnecting their lips and leaning back to look him in the eye.

"You're a terrible kisser," He stated offhandedly, grinning in a way that told Mark he wasn't offended by the lack of response but instead amused by the absolute lack of initiative displayed.

"I--uh... Sorry." Mark stuttered in response, trying desperately to find his bearings so that he might salvage at least a portion of his pride. "You... that's what you wanted to practice?" He asked, eyebrows furrowing as he contemplated the idea that Donghyuck might be kissing someone who wasn't him (or Jeno or Jaemin) for the sake of an acting role some time soon. 

Donghyuck smirked, leaning back on his hands and taking in the clear expressions that crossed Mark's face. "Practice yes, I suppose you could call it that... but only in the loosest sense of the term since there are only three people I'm even remotely interested in kissing and one of them in standing right in front of me."

"Well then, how does that saying go? Practice makes perfect?" Mark fired back, a glint of something mischievous in his eyes that told Donghyuck he understood exactly what had just happened.

He let out an exaggerated sigh, "Well-- I guess you do need a lot of practice--" and Mark's lips were on his once again before he could finish speaking.

Safe to say, even if Jeno had forgiven him enough to walk home together that day, he and Jaemin would have got tired of waiting and left without them. Mark was sure they'd forgive them.

•

It would have been an understatement to say that Jaemin was shocked when Jeno turned up at his door, all red eyes and downcast expression. It wasn't that Jeno never got upset, because he did but he usually tried his hardest to hide it from the others because he didn't want to burden them with his problems. So when the slightly older boy looked at him like someone had just sold all his Super Junior merchandise, Jaemin wasn't 100% sure that he knew how to deal with the situation.

"Mark Hyung is a jerk." Jeno stated simply, throwing his bag down on Jaemin's bed and kicking the door closed with a clean practiced movement. Jaemin could only watch with wide eyes as Jeno waited for his to refute or agreement of the statement, arms crossed over his chest and eyes narrowed into slits. "Uh right-- why exactly... Is that?" Jaemin inquired, stepping forward to pull both of them down on the bean bags where they'd be more comfortable. Not only was it highly unusual for Jeno to become irate or moody, it was even more strange that Mark would end up being the culprit of such a mood seeing as he tended to be the voice of reason in the ragtag group. 

"He obviously feels superior since he's a year older than us and he's taking a bunch of AP and Honours classes. Is it that hard to find time for us? The, supposedly, most important people in his life?" Jeno grew progressively more infuriated as he spoke, using exaggerated hand gestures to emphasize the obvious heigtening of his tone. If he wasn't afraid of having something heavy thrown at him, Jaemin may have pointed out that it was Mark that opened his home to them earlier that week for their weekly get together, and Mark who personally made sure that none of them were having any trouble at school despite his own packed schedule.

However, Jeno obviously wasn't looking for a logical discussion so Jaemin decided that it would be safer just to play to his wishes at that moment and talk about all the (non-existant) bad things about Mark Lee. 

"So Mark Hyung has been a little distant, huh?" Was the best thing he could come up with and it sounded pathetic even to his own ears but that was apparently all Jeno needed to continue on his stress-induced tirade.

"More than a little distant! He doesn't want to speak to us or care about how it'll effect us when he moves a thousand miles away to some fancy shmancy college that only caters to super smart people like him!" There was the root of the problem, insecurities reflecting clearly in Jeno's eyes that suddenly explained his defensive attitude towards their oldest soulmate.

"Jeno-ya... Mark Hyung isn't going to forget about us just because he goes off to college. It isn't that far away and nothing will stop us from visiting plus, you know Donghyuck will go stir crazy and become even more unbearable than usual if he doesn't hear Mark's voice at least once a day." He explained patiently, watching as the tension left Jeno little by little while he spoke. The older boys hair was ruffled and untidy from having run his hands through it too many times and Jaemin couldn't help but appreciate how attractive he looked away from his usual clean cut appearance (A tiny part of him wished he'd been the one to make Jeno look that frazzled but he pushed it away.) 

"He won't be right here..." Jeno muttered in response but there was no heat behind it as he slumped against Jaemin's shoulder and begin fiddling with the younger boys fingers as a distraction.

"He won't be, but Donghyuck and I will and Mark will only ever be a call away so you won't ever really have time to miss him." For Jaemin, the words flowed easily because he'd thought a lot about the situation already and come to the conclusion that he was being stupid in his insecurities.

"You and Donghyuck are a handful," Jeno murmered in quiet acquisition, his lips tugging into a pseudo smile as he couldn't help but poke fun at the youngest two and the way they tended to fight like cat and dog. Jaemin grinned, glad to witness Jeno's fast revert to his usual personality as much as it warmed his heart that the older boy would seek him out specifically when he was feeling upset or unsure. 

Of everything that Jaemin knew for sure in his seventeen years of living, he knew that he loved Lee Jeno more than he'd ever loved anyone else in his life. 

Maybe that's why it felt as natural as breathing to pull Jeno into his arms and see the same love reflected reflected back at him through bottomless mahogany eyes, a reassurance that what he was about to do was what they both wanted. Why it felt as though everything fell into place when Jeno leaned forward and pressed their lips together in a kiss that was more awkward exploration than a romantic declaration. 

"I love you," Jeno admitted when they pulled apart, hands still interlocked and not attempting to move away from one another, just happy to be in each others presence.

"I know... " Jaemin murmured back, stroking his thumb across the back of Jeno's hand and thinking about all the times he'd almost found himself saying those words but not wanting to be brushed off or not taken seriously. "I love you too." 

"Just to clear things up," He continued, allowing ambience to sneak back into his tone that made Jeno look at him out of curiosity. "We don't hate Mark Hyung right?" He already knew the answer but it was nice to see the way Jeno's features lit up as he laughed and flopped back on the bean bag.

"No, I suppose we don't... but I still wanna see him suffer until he apologises for telling me to leave like that." The older boy replied, mischief that only occasionally made an appearance when he decided to join in with a prank, shining clearly in his eyes.

Pranks Jaemin could do, he was after all, known as one of the most troublesome students in the school and he wasn't about to lose his title to a bookworm like Lee Jeno. 

"What did you have in mind?" He replied with a smirk. 

•

Their plan to worry Mark by having Jeno not show up for lunch kind of fell through when the oldest boy appeared to be distracted the whole time, even ignoring the looks Jaemin tried shooting him to insight a response.

Their further plan to leave them after school always didn't quite work out when neither of them showed up anyway. 

So much for revenge.

•

The day for Mark to leave for college came much faster than any of them were anticipating and despite the fact that none of the them wanted to part on negative terms, the air was somber as they say gathered in Donghyuck's back yard to say goodbye.

To anybody watching it would have been a strange sight, Mark leaning back against Donghyuck who had his arms wrapped around his waist, with Jaemin's head in his lap and Jeno leaning against his shoulder in a strange sort of protective cocoon, a silent plea for him not to leave that they'd never speak aloud. It was cute, the way they all wanted to say the same things but stayed quiet for the sake of keeping the peace they'd established.

"You guys act as though you're going to be alone once I leave, you'll still have each other. All I'm gonna have is my cousin Koeun who's finally returning from studying abroad in England with her new girlfriend." Mark teased, not sounding upset but mildly put out with the notion of being separated and alone with someone irritating. Donghyuck snickered behind him, remembering having met the older girl not long after he and Mark had first met and before she'd gone to study abroad.

"Good luck," Donghyuck laughed, "She was a nightmare when I met her before but at least you'll never miss a deadline with her around." 

"You'll call whenever you can, right?" Jaemin piped up, eyes fluttering open as Mark stopped running his fingers through his hair. Jeno huffed softly in approval of the question before turning his eyes on Mark to hear the answer.

"Of course! I'll call so often that you'll get sick of me and start ignoring my calls." He assured, eyes softening when he saw and felt the immediate relief his statement brought to all threw of them. For Mark, it was easy to forget that they still didn't have the best communication and that worries were often left to build up without reassurance because none of them liked to talk about it. 

•

Their real goodbyes were all separate, the small niggling want for privacy in a final moment still present despite the bond they shared. 

Donghyuck didn't cry when they parted, upholding his strong, confident visage and warning Mark to not get into too much trouble when he wasn't around to look out for him. Words were spoken but all the feelings were conveyed through the way their hands never once parted and no words could convey the same thing as Donghyuck's lips pressed against his own in a declaration of ownership and a promise to still be there when he returned. Though Donghyuck didn't shed any tears at their parting, Mark left with tears in his eyes as he made Donghyuck promise to call if he ever felt lonely or if something was wrong. 

Parting with Jeno was probably the hardest emotionally because the younger boy had burst into tears the moment he'd even brought up the topic and no amount of reassurances could stop the endless flow of tears once they'd begun. He wondered how Jeno would deal with being the oldest but decided that he had nothing to worry about because he'd proven time and time again that he could handle the other two at their worst. Their parting was bittersweet, a promise to call as soon as he arrived and a kiss pressed to the younger boys forehead as he wiped away the tears and finally got a smile. 

Jaemin was difficult to read, clinging to Mark silently and not saying anything that might give away how he was feeling. Although their bond had improved significantly since they first met five years ago, it was still difficult to figure things out when it came to the youngest boy sometimes. Instead of trying to get him to speak, Mark had decided to just be there and let Jaemin soak up the reassurance he was likely looking for because words weren't always necessary to convey feelings. Their parting was tinged with sadness but also watery smiles and a look of absolute trust that told Mark he could really leave without having to worry about hurt feelings. 

They all came to see him off at the station, their faces painted with bright smiles and stupid jokes and jabs on their tongues that radiated positive energy like the sun. It was enough to make Mark realise that everything was really going to be okay and he thought, that maybe, he understood their bond a little more now.

It was okay to be sad, disheartened or unhappy because no relationship was ever going to be perfect. Being soulmates didn't automatically mean smoothl sailing, they were allowed to mess up and make mistakes so long as they were their to fix them as well as they knew how afterwards. It didn't guarantee no hurt feelings or times when things wouldn't go their way but it did mean always having someone you can rely on no matter what. 

Highschool had been a time for finding themselves, learning what it meant to love and how exactly that applied to them. It was a time for realising and coming to term with feelings that they'd never really experienced before and now they were at a point where everything was falling into place because they all finally understood how things worked. 

Learning to love is never easy, even less so when it's predetermined and you feel like you don't get to choose but everything had worked out well for them so far and Mark hoped that college would be a time for testing boundaries and learning all the things about one another they'd yet to learn. 

Five years ago, they'd embarked on a long journey and it felt like they were finally making some progress.

Another big step towards a tomorrow that promised love and companionship to last a lifetime and for the first time, he found himself wanting to hit the ground running because I was something to look forward to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter done! What did you guys think? It'd be really great to hear any events you'd like to see happen in this story and if you'd even like a continuation at all! ~ I'll try and take all ideas into consideration (however, I will not be writing smut under any circumstances because NCT Dream are still all underage even if they're aged up in my Fic.)
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always greatly appreciated!~~
> 
> Find me on Twitter! @HansoldMS_Twt


	4. "Oh It's War"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Interlude #1
> 
> [FLASHBACK]
> 
> So Jaemin and Jeno may not have started on as amiable terms as everyone believes they did.
> 
> Alternately, Jeno kinda hates the new kid but it's okay because the feeling is mutual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NOTE: This chapter is completely Jaeno centric and it takes place 8 years in the past!
> 
> Dedicated to Ros for calling me their favourite Jaeno author and ReachForTheByul for leaving me literally the nicest comment I've ever received! I hope you enjoy this chapter!♡♡

[INTERLUDE #1 - EIGHT YEARS AGO, JAENO'S FIRST MEETING - FLASHBACK]

"Egoist,"

"Sloppy,"

"Pompous,"

"Brat!" Jeno huffed, launching the dictionary he'd been gripping with sure-fire aim at Na Jaemin, who took one look at the incoming projectile and ducked, using the new position to shove the desk he'd been leaning on into Jeno's legs. 

Knocked off balance, Jeno scrambled to find purchase on anything which resulted in him grabbing hold of a model skeleton and bringing it down on top of himself.

Amused, Jaemin straightened back to his full height and casually dusted off his pants before leaning against the wall and taking in the sight of Jeno, splayed across the floor with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe next time you should use that dictionary to come up with some more creative insults instead of resorting straight to violence, which by the way, was a bad idea because I forgot to mention that I'm fully trained in Hapkido."

Jeno chose not to reply, sneering while attemtping fruitlessly to stop the stupid plastic ribs from damaging his ribs. Call it childish but Jeno couldn't even remember when this war had started, his wole attention focused on the fact that their scores were currently even and he'd do anything to one-up the opposition, namely one Na Jaemin. The younger of the two had joined the school less than two months ago and he'd already managed to earn himself a reputation as popular, smart, athletic and intolerable (In Jeno's opinion.) They probably could have been friends if Jaemin hadn't taken one look at Jeno on his very first day and said, "So you're the popular kid here? What a waste." Maybe the war had started the following day when Jeno had kicked his chair out from beneath him as he went to sit down in class or maybe it had been when Jaemin got his revenge by rearranging Jeno's class schedule with the principle which in turn made him late to every single class that day.

That led them to the current moment, in the biology lab despite the fact that school had long since ended, neither moving as they watched the other with wary eyes, well aware of the tension that enveloped the atmosphere.

Jeno winced, finally managing to push the plastic monstrosity off himself before shifting into a sitting position, clutching his side when a sharp pain shot through it at the movement. For a second it looked as though Jaemin was going to apologise, his usually hard eyes softening into something that looked like regret before it vanished again in an instant. "Clumsy as well..." He commented, every word having it's intended patronising effect as Jeno stiffened but didn't dignify him with a response.

"I probably would have found you cute if you weren't such an asshole," Jaemin continued offhandedly, watching with a smirk as the older boy became more and more offended with every word. Unlike the Jeno, he remembered exactly how their little war had started and he was completely aware that it had been his fault but it was too late to take back the words he'd said on impulse when he first saw the boy.

In fact, Jaemin concluded that he should really learn how to express when he likes someone better because he'd been a little star struck when he'd first walked into that classroom but his words hadn't been a very good reflection of that fact. That hadn't improved over time either, instead their meetings had become increasingly hostile until Jeno had now ended up hurt inadvertedly.

With that thought, he turned and left the room, not offering Jeno a hand to get up despite seeing that he was obviously in pain. He really had to stop being such a coward, but not today.

This time, he didn't look back.

•

For all his faults, Jaemin was far from uncaring or insensitive and although he acted like an asshole (well, as bad as a nine year old could be) it was only an outward reflection of the insurmountable awkwardness that he really possessed. So when Jeno didn't show up for school the next day, the inevitable trickle of worry wouldn't leave the back of his mind. Had the boy been so badly injured that he was unable to make the trip? 

It wasn't until he heard from Hina that Jeno was sick, that his restless mind was put to slight ease. If you asked him later, he'd say that he wasn't sure what possessed him to volunteer to deliver Jeno's missed notes to him but in that moment, he'd only thought about confirming whether the older was really okay with his own eyes.

•

Jeno kind of felt like he was dying, but that was probably a slight exaggeration because his doctor didn't look too worried (well, no more worried than he ever looked when these inevitable house calls occurred). He'd known for a long time that he wasn't a particularly healthy child, he'd already moved schools once after the sickness made him take a large amount of time off and he didn't feel comfortable going back but everytime his fever spiked and he found it difficult to move his limbs, let alone get out of bed it always came as a surprise.

Surprisingly, his first thought when he woke with the telltale headache and heaviness in his limbs, the first thought that ran through Jeno's head wasn't about the school he'd surely be missing but instead, the fact that he wasn't going to be able shove Na Jaemin's face into a locker as repayment for the bruise that now decorated his side. 

"It's not too bad, he'll probably be better by the end of the week so long as he stays hydrated and takes his medication on schedule but make sure to call me if his temperature spikes again or his condition goes downhill." He could hear the doctor explaining to his mother in the hall, the hushed tones making it no less difficult to hear in the otherwise silent house.

Likewise, he clearly heard the sound of the doorbell when it rang several hours later and his eyebrows shot up in surprise (and distrust) when he realised that he could clearly make out Jaemin's voice in addition to his mother's. For a moment he wondered if he was having in a really weird dream but heavy footsteps in the stairs proved that theory wrong and he held his breath to see what would happen next. 

It turned out that he wouldn't have to wait long because his door was pushed open (with way more force than was actually necessary) moments later and Jaemin strolled in, looking more cautious than Jeno had probably ever seen him before.

"You look--" He started to say before seeming to bite his tongue and struggle for what to say. Jeno found it ironic that in the one situation where the younger boy could truly insult him, he didn't know which words to use (after all, he was constantly teasing Jeno using his advanced vocabulary so why stop now?)

"Like death, ugly, gross as hell?" Jeno supplied in a tone that was supposed to be sarcastic but came out sounding raspy and bitter. Jaemin didn't make a sarcastic comment or raise his eyebrows at the statement, eyes narrowed and eyebrows drawn as he thought carefully about how to phrase what he wanted to say. 

"Uh-- I was gonna say 'Sick' actually," he finally finished, surprising the older boy with the lack of negative intonation in his voice.

"Oh," was a Jeno couldn't think to say and if Jaemin had been himself at the moment, be probably would have criticised the poor word choice but all he did was watch hesitantly, the corner of his mouth tipping up into a wary smile. "Yeah," Jaemin replied, equally intelligent but just as uncaring about his own lack of creative word choice.

"So why are you here exactly?" Jeno coughed, silently berating himself for sounding as lost as he did. Jaemin shifted uncomfortably, once again unsure of what he should say. He'd rushed over to the older boys house without really thinking about what he was going to say once he arrived and once questioned, he released that he didn't really have legitimate reason for taking the meagre task from one of Jeno's actual friends (Jisung had been about to volunteer).

"You didn't come to school..." Jaemin muttered by way of explanation, trying to collect his thoughts into a passable order so that he didn't end up sounding awkward or obviously lost when he spoke. "I wondered-- I guess I thought that I might have hurt you yesterday and my conscience wouldn't let me stay away. Someone had to bring you the work you missed..." He finsihed lamely, scratching the back of his neck to try and diffuse some of the awkward tension that had filled the room.

When Jeno didn't reply immediatly, Jaemin shuffled forward, dropping the woksheets he'd been gripping like a lifeline before turning and walking out of the room as quickly as he possibly could.

Maybe it was a trick of the light but Jeno was sure that he saw his own name scribbled in small, concise letters on the back of Jaemin's leg.

It wasn't until he found the matching tattoo, baby pink in scratchy childish handwriting displaying Na Jaemin's name for all to see across the back of his left hand that things finally started to fall into place.

•

Jaemin knew a thing or two about soulmates, the basics that every kid learnt and the way in which his parents publicly displayed their affection for one another becoming the basis for his understanding of the concept. So, to say that he was confused when he found Lee Jeno's name printed on the back of his knee would have been a huge understatement. Sure the older boy was attractive, hell it had been the first thing he'd noticed when he'd laid eyes on him but their relationship as it stood, was far from the way he'd commonly seen soulmates behave and Jaemin struggled to understand where his newly-discovered soulmate bond fit into the the societal view of the subject.

As mature as he liked to think he was, Jaemin was still young and his first response to the revelation was to completely and utterly ignore Lee Jeno, going as far as to make no effort to contact the older when he dropped out of school permanently two weeks later due to the unpredictable nature of his sickness.

Real mature.

It was his mother who eventually set up the meeting between the two of them after becoming worried tht Jaemin was purposefully distancing himself from his soulmate and that it would adversely effect his future. He'd been unwilling to go but over the seperation, Jaemin had managed to sort his thoughts to the extent that maybe talking to Jeno really was the next step in understanding his own feelings.

For his part, Jeno had been calm and undertanding of the situation, only throwing two insults snidely into the conversation which Jaemin returned in kind and neither of thier parents appeared to notice (or they just didn't care).

"Do you hate the idea?" Jeno had asked, not looking put-out or upset with the way Jaemin had chosen to behave upon recieving the new, but also looking slightly uncomfortable with the unconventional situation. The younger boy shuffled, looking anywhere in the room other that it's other occupent, "I don't," he mumbled in response, part of him hoping that Jeno wouldn't hear him and maybe just drop the subject all together.

Chancing a look up at the older boy when he didn't hear a vocal respons, Jaemin was met with what was probably the kindest smile he'd ever recieved and it made him pause, admiring the way Jeno's smile only added to his looks.  
Jaemin had noticed how attractive Jeno was the moment they met but with a smile on his face, Jeno looked a hundred times better and the younger boy found himself truly lost for words for the first time in his life.

"As long as you don't hate it, I think we'll be fine." Jeno affirmed with a concise nod of his head, the grin never once leaving his features. 

(Fine was an undertstatement, the two of them were best friends within the year and Jaemin was ready to fight anyone who so much as looked at Jeno the wrong way. By the time they met their other two soulmates for the first time, they were practically two halves of the same person which led to Jaemin not liking the idea of additional soulmates a whole lot, and the rest as they say, is history.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The usual mumbo-jumbo, hmu on Twitter @HansoldMS_Twt is you wanna talk!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are much appreciated and keep you ideas for plot points you'd like to see coming! 
> 
> I'm sorry this update took so long and it's not the great but the next canon chapter is almost done (It'll be the younger three visiting Mark at University and Donghyuck and Jaemin being forced to go on a date.)

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought, comments and kudos are always greatly appreciated!~~
> 
> Would you like a part two about their highschool life? 
> 
> Find me! @HandsoldMS_Twt

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [times are changing (we are changing with them)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8000347) by [강마루 (Kookienism)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kookienism/pseuds/%EA%B0%95%EB%A7%88%EB%A3%A8)




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